I am privileged to have been adopted by a homeless cat...?

Question

she came to us asking for food because she was pregnant. She had seven kittens, very pretty, then they were taken away by cat rescue people and left the mother cat with us.
She eventually adopted us but cannot be approached unless she is in her `safe spot,` like her basket, bed or a pile of towels.
She is terried of `feet,` so I assume she has been kicked by some bastard in the past.
Any other solutions?? And how can we cure her? She`s been with us now for 18 months.

Answer 1

Aaaaww! Poor kitty! you are a good person by taking her in especially in her condition. I have 3 cats that I rescued from outside. It's a good feeling. She sounds very skiddish. take your time with her. When you hold her take your timw and touch her all over. Her sides her her belly from head to tail. If you gently rub her just above the eyes on her head that is very soothing for cats.It will calm her . Maybe try sitting indian style while petting her and let her get used to your feet. Your right she probably was kicked around in the wild by some horribl person. So take your time but give her a lot of it. Hopefully she'll come around. Good luck.

Answer 2

You are awesome for taking in such a cat. And all of you who posted before me have brilliant answers! I too was adopted by a cat that I suspect had been abused. It took lots of time and patience for me to get her not to cower when I would try to touch her. It actually took about 5 or 6 years. Now she is the sweetest most outgoing people lover ever.

You said your cat has to be in her "safe spot." Try giving her as many "safe spots" around the house as you can. Unless she approaches you, don't approach her. Let her think that getting attention is totally her idea. I know this is torture but it will be worth it. Sit quietly (preferably on the floor) where you can see her but be doing something completely different (like reading a book) where you totally ignore her then trow a treat close enough to her that she has to just get out of her safe zone to get it. But don't look at her when you do this. Just keep ignoring her. The point is to seem as non-threatening as possible. By sitting on the floor, you are making yourself smaller, thus less threatening. The same with not making eye contact. Work with this for a few days then throw the treat just a little closer to you. Keep doing this, moving along only when you feel she is ready until you are giving her treats right by your feet. And when she gets to your feet, don't give her Pounce treats. Give her really good stuff like turkey or chicken. You want her to know that being by the feet offers wonderful rewards.

Eventually, get so you can be standing near her then give her great treats. Then get so you can walk by her and drop the treat as you walk by. Some of this might sound silly but you really want to break it down into it's most basic steps and get her to realize moving feet aren't the end of the world. Eventually, she should be comfortable with you being around and she should be comfortable enough to approach you. And hopefully you will be able to approach her as well.

Good luck

Answer 3

Try leaving your shoes by her bed when you take them off
at night. Soon she'll associate shoes with feet with you
with OK. It's a long road for a formerly wild or abused cat
to trust, if ever. I've had mine for about the same time and
just recently he allowed me to pick him up for about 30
seconds. You still can't approach him from head on or
he'll scratch and growl, but slowly he's letting me pet
him and is just now starting to rub up against my leg.
Great breakthrough. I just love the little guy and admire
his independence. He's so much like me. You might
want to contact the people at Animal Planet. I've watched
several episodes where they've painstakenly brought
abandoned animals around. There's an English version
of the show too which focuses on problem pets.

Answer 4

You may never "cure" her, it's just the way she is. Like you said, she may well have been mistreated in the past and that has formed her character to be like she is. All you can do is carry on like you are, paying her attention, being kind and gentle. She may change her view of people, but only on her terms.

We had a rescued cat for many years, she'd been badly treated in the past (the vet found evidence of broken ribs and reckoned she'd been kicked repeatedly) and it took her years to get over her mistrust of people. Eventually she sort of came around, with us at least, though she always fled if a stranger came to the door. She was about two years old when we got her and lived until she was 19, so she had many years of a comfortable life.

Answer 5

We have 2 rescued cats who were both VERY nervous when we got them a few years ago. When we first took them home they hid under the sofa and wouldn't come out if we were around. Although they remain cautious they will now come to us for a bit of attention. Neither of them are "lap" cats and will only approach us on their terms, but they are much more affectionate. However, if anything happens to change their routine, they still revert to being quite nervous. The vet recommended FELIWAY as a way of calming them a bit - we have a plug in diffuser that seems to keep them a bit more relaxed. Also catnip makes them chill out for a while too.

Answer 6

Hello Montgomery,

Congratulations on being considered worthy of becoming a cat's slave. It's good work if you can get it.

Perhaps some animal behaviorists can give you some more pointed and helpful hints, but I'll try and share some of my experience.

We adopted a semi-feral litter of three kittens. They had not bonded with humans but had bonded with each other. We found a home for the most decorative one, but were left with a sister and brother.

After about a month or so of regular meals and consistent behavior, the brother relaxed some of his caution. After five years, he is a lapcat and he is so comfortable that he just lays on the floor in the major traffic patterns- confident and trusting that all humans will break their necks to avoid stepping on him. He's right.

HIs sister was an entirely different case. She was naturally skittish and hyper-alert. A sudden noise would provoke a leap straight up into the air from a reasonably relaxed position and I swear she would attain a 3 foot elevation without visible effort. She took FOREVER to relax. She wouldn't let us touch her but would still come up for attention. I realized she LOVED being talked to, so my husband and I would talk to her calmly and look into her eyes - sending verbal affection. The skittish circles gradually became smaller and smaller.

After five years, she'll climb up onto the chair arm (with us in the chair) and she'll ask for petting and affection and scritches. But she still doesn't like being overpowered and being picked up. As long as she can come to us and its her idea, things are all right.

So... patience, consistency, calmness, and time are what I can offer as a suggestion to you. Find what she likes and do more of that. In the case of Jenniwinx, it was talking. Maybe yours will like that.

Take the shoes you wear around the house the most and rub it around where she sleeps to get her scent on it. Maybe if she 'owns' the shoes, the feet won't be so terrifying. But I expect that, too, will take time.

It often takes the abused longer to trust. If your sweet little girl has been abused and hurt by giants, giants will continue to be something to be cautious around.

Once enough time has passed, she should be all right. I can tell you genuinely care and that's what she needs... a home to feel safe in with giants who don't kick and hurt, regular meals, and affection on demand.

Best of luck to you and to her.
Tara

Answer 7

A friend of mine had a similar situation. The cat would not allow anyone to touch her, not even my friend. The cat would spend almost all her time under the dining room buffet. However, the second time I visited my friend, the cat actually approached me and allowed me to touch her head. After several months, she would sit on my lap and let me pet her, something she denied even to my friend who had adopted her. I have no explanation for it but this, and other experiences with cats, led to me being known as "The Cat Lady"

All I can suggest is that you continue to be as gentle and patient in the future as you have been for 18 months. The foot terror is a kind of post traumatic stress disorder. It is tough enough to cure in people (usually requiring both psychological treatment as well as medication) but I don't believe there is a cure for it in cats.

God Bless you and your kitty.

Answer 8

If feet send her bolting across the house, then you'll simply have to step lightly around her for a while. Just as if you had a tiny kitten, you'd be very careful when walking as not to accidently step on it's tail or paw & hurt it. Think of your new friend as a new baby, since you'll have to do many of the same things you would if she actually were a baby. She's not familiar with your world yet, so by taking "baby steps" with her, you'll get to know each other slowly, but comfortably.

Answer 9

Bless you many times over for taking a defenseless creature into your heart .
The cat we have which was rescued by my hubbie from a cruel world is still hiding when company comes after four years . We accept her as she is and no longer try to change her ways. She is improving on her own though as the time passes . Just talk to your cat a lot, low voice and soothing .
Some never get over it , the advice to give her treats placed by your feet was a good one . I will try that myself for mine .
Good Luck

Answer 10

There may very well be no "fixing her". I too have a rescued cat that was abused by a man. She is very scared of most men (not of my hubby though which is why I knew he was for me!) and often hides out when company comes over. We just love and accept her. It is sad that she gets scared so easily and I wish she wasn't, but she has been that way for almost 7 years now. She has made great progress but I think the shyness and anti-men is part of the damage done to her.

Just continue being gentle and thank you for saving her and her kittens!